Legal Opinion

Webb v. Call Publishing Co.

Wisconsin Supreme Court

Decided December 14, 1920PublishedCited by 2 opinions

Appeal from an order of the circuit court for Racine county: E. B. Belden, Circuit Judge. Libel. The plaintiff in this action is a young man twenty-two years of age. He was born and raised in Rankin county, Mississippi, has a high-school education, and is the son of respectable well-to-do parents. He came to Racine sometime during the forepart of 1918 and secured employment in'the factories.

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Appeal from an order of the circuit court for Racine county: E. B. Belden, Circuit Judge. Libel. The plaintiff in this action is a young man twenty-two years of age. He was born and raised in Rankin county, Mississippi, has a high-school education, and is the son of respectable well-to-do parents. He came to Racine sometime during the forepart of 1918 and secured employment in'the factories. For a considerable length of time he lived with one William Gause, in whose household he was considered almost a member of the family, and was introduced by them to their circle of friends. While living…

1Opinion of the CourtOwen, J.

The court ordered a new trial because the damages were excessive. The determination of the damages sustained by the plaintiff by reason of the printing of the libelous article was peculiarly a question for the jury. The court was not at liberty to set aside the verdict on the ground that the damages, as determined therein, were excessive unless it can be said they were so excessive as to create the belief that the jury had been misled either by passion, prejudice, or ignorance. Donovan v. C. & N. W. R. Co. 93 Wis. 373, 67 N. W. 721; Flannigan v. Stauss, 131 Wis. 94, 111 N. W. 216. We are…

2Cases cited4 opinions

  1. Ellis v. Brockton Publishing Co.Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 1908
  2. Clementson v. Minnesota Tribune Co.Supreme Court of Minnesota · 1891
  3. Donovan v. Chicago & Northwestern Railway Co.Wisconsin Supreme Court · 1896
  4. Flannigan v. StaussWisconsin Supreme Court · 1907

3Cited by2 opinions

  1. Jesse B. Manbeck v. Gerald S. OstrowskiCourt of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit · 1967
  2. Hucko v. Jos. Schlitz Brewing Co.Court of Appeals of Wisconsin · 1981

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